By Harinder Mahil

It is shameful that John Rustad is sticking with Brent Chapman, Conservative candidate in Surrey South despite his racist comments against Muslims.

The comments were posted on Facebook in 2015, before Chapman entered politics, and were shared on social media by CKNW Radio host Jas Johal on October 9, 2024.

In the post, Chapman responds to comments from someone criticizing how Muslims raise their children. In referring to Palestinians he wrote: “They are all little inbred walking, talking, breathing time bombs … figuratively and quite literally.”

In a statement sent to the media a day after these comments became public, Chapman said the language he used was “completely unacceptable,” adding that since that time he has built “meaningful relationships” with people in the Muslim community.

“They do not reflect who I am today or the respect and admiration I hold for the Palestinian and Muslim communities,” he said.

“I want to offer my sincerest apologies to everyone hurt by my past words,” said Chapman, who is also the husband of South Surrey-White Rock Conservative MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay.

B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad told reporters that while he agreed Chapman should apologize for the comments, he would not ask him to step down as a candidate.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims says it is horrified by Chapman’s comments. “We consider them to be deeply Islamophobic, disgusting and utterly unacceptable,” the Council said in a media release. 

The comments Mr. Chapman made are racist, Islamophobic and extremely offensive. Although he apologized after the comments became public, someone with these views has no place to be a leader of any political party in British Columbia.

Chapman’s comments are part of a pattern from past and present Conservative candidates, who have displayed racist attitudes towards not only Muslims but also Indigenous and members of LGBTQ communities.

Mr. Rustad should realize that if chooses to keep Chapman as a candidate of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, he is sending a message that it is OK to make racist comments toward Muslims.

The message that he should be sending is: racism has no place in British Columbia.

Harinder Mahil is a human rights activist and is president of the West Coast Coalition Against Racism.